Catheters may be located in various venous locations and cavities throughout the body of a patient for introduction of fluids to a body or removal of fluids from a body. Such catheterization may be performed by using single lumen catheters or, in an instance where it is desirable to remove fluids from a body and return fluids to a body at the same time, by using multiple single lumen catheters or a multiple lumen catheter.
Generally, to insert any catheter into a blood vessel, the vessel is identified by aspiration with a long hollow needle in accordance with the well known Seldinger technique. When blood enters a syringe attached to the needle, indicating that the vessel has been found, a thin guidewire is then introduced, typically through a syringe needle or other introducer device into the interior of the vessel. The introducer device is then removed, leaving the guidewire within the vessel. The guidewire projects beyond the surface of the skin. At this point, several options are available to a physician for catheter placement. The simplest is to pass a catheter into the vessel directly over the guidewire. The guidewire is then removed, leaving the catheter in position within the vessel. However, this technique is only possible in cases where the catheter (for example, a small diameter dual lumen catheter) is of a relatively small diameter, made of a stiff material, and not significantly larger than the guidewire. If the catheter to be inserted is significantly larger than the guidewire, a dilator device containing a sheath is passed over the guidewire to enlarge the opening in the vessel. The dilator is then removed along with the guidewire, leaving the sheath in place, and the catheter is then passed through the sheath into the vessel. The guidewire is then removed, leaving the catheter in position within the vessel.
Each catheter lumen is typically fluidly connected to an extracorporeal treatment device, such as a hemodialysis machine, or some other device used for injecting fluids into the body and/or removing fluids from the body. Each lumen is typically connected to the extracorporeal treatment device using a standard connector at its proximal end. Such standard connectors are commonly referred to as “luers.” A luer is a standard fitting that accommodates the fluid connection of the lumen to an extracorporeal treatment device, such as the hemodialysis machine, as well as a cap or an infuser for medicaments. Generally, during hemodialysis treatment, the catheter luer is releasably connected to a mating luer that is in fluid communication with the hemodialysis machine. Preferably, between treatments, it is desirable to restrict the flow of air, blood and contaminants through the catheter. Generally, after a luer is disconnected from the mating luer of a hemodialysis machine, the luer is capped. In the time period between removal of the mating luer of a hemodialysis machine and the securing of a cap onto the catheter, the catheter luer is uncovered and there is no structure to restrict the flow of air, blood and contaminants through the catheter, in which case the physician must manually close off the luer opening.
It would be desirable to provide a luer connection that securely connected the luer to the catheter and provided a means for restricting flow through the catheter. Further, it would be desirable to provide an assembly for connecting a luer to a lumen that integrates a secure connection and a releasable clamping mechanism to restrict flow through the lumen when the catheter is not in use.